Book Review: Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Format: Hardcover, First Edition, 2006

Pages: 537

Reading Time: about 13 hours

Mistborn is the first book in the Mistborn Trilogy, and Sanderson’s second book, which followed the critically-acclaimed Elantris. I’ve been itching to read some of Sanderson’s work ever since he was tabbed to complete Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. Before I hit Sanderson’s Wheel of Time entries, however, I wanted to sample some of his own works and see what had impressed everyone else.

Mistborn is described as a question designed to turn a fantasy trope on its head: “what if the hero lost and the dark lord won?” It’s about a world covered in ash due to volcanic eruptions, strange mists that come out at night, and the Lord Ruler, a dark overlord who suppresses the peasant race called Skaa.

Into this setting steps Vin, a teenage girl who lives on the streets as a thief. As I began reading I was immediately struck by the similarities between Vin and Kiska, from Ian C. Esslemont’s Night of Knives. Not only was Vin written three years earlier, she is also a more believable character. Vin possesses some of the same annoying traits found in Kiska: stubbornness, inability to follow instructions, and reckless actions. What makes Vin believable is her vulnerability. Abandoned by everyone in her life, growing up in a thieving crew, she believes herself unworthy when good things happen to her. Her transformation during the course of the story gives her character depth, which Kiska did not have.

The supporting characters are well done, especially Kelsier, who becomes Vin’s mentor, and Sazed, Vin’s teacher/watchdog/servant. The adversaries are truly evil…the Lord Ruler is cruel and uncaring, and Inquisitors are horrifying creatures, with spikes for eyes and near-immortality.

The genius of the story, and what moves it along, is the much-raved-about magic system called Allomancy. It’s the ability to burn certain metals, each type giving the user a different power…Copper keeps one from being detected by other allomancers, while pewter allows one greater strength, speed, and stamina. It’s a brilliantly-realized system, although combat sequences can be a little hard to follow with things being pushed and pulled around.

I was captivated at the beginning of the story, as the characters are introduced and the magic system is explained. However, the book tends to bog down in the middle as it becomes a series of training exercises for Vin, mixed in with the subtleties of pulling off a major con. However, the last 100 pages really gather momentum, and events move at a breathless pace. I was disappointed whenever I had to put the book down to do other things. What makes Mistborn truly great, however, is the pay-offs. After struggling through that middle section of the book, when things start moving in those last 100 pages and information is revealed, everything ties together nicely, and their are some shocking reveals that I totally didn’t see coming, including the death of a main character. None of it really feels like Deus Ex Machina – Sanderson has set everything up well beforehand. A few loose ends exist, and some questions go unanswered, but this is a series after all, and some things need to wait for the next book.

In conclusion, I was absolutely blown away by Mistborn. I now understand the praise bestowed upon Sanderson and the choice for him to finish the Wheel of Time series. Although Sanderson’s Wheel of Time contributions are in my queue, as is his new 1000 page novel The Way of Kings, I’m going to have to read the next book in the Mistborn Trilogy first, because I have got to see what happens next!